Wharfeside, a lifetime's project

[MacDuff999]

Only just discovered this thread gents, and it is quite a tour de force you have embarked on Mr. Franks. Glad I only require 6 of your ex-LMS buffer stops for the size of layout I am working on! Going back a few pages, and on the subject of Ken Northwood and his North Devon Railway. I briefly knew Ken, and visited his 'Torreyford' a couple of times when I lived in Edinburgh in the 60's. It was fantastic and filled the loft at Ken and Lal's bungalow in Craigcrook. Ken was, I think, the 'inventor' of the pinpoint axle, and explained to me how he modified his 4mm axles manually by fixing them to a small piece of wood, and filing the ends down as he ran the axle/wood contraption up and down on the work bench. He must have spent many hours doing this, as he proudly told me his 8F would reverse an 80-wagon train through pointwork, without a hitch.  Tedious but ground-breaking stuff.  It was about that time I met Don Rowlands, who then worked on Robertson Avenue, Edinburgh, and lived near Dalkeith, where I visited his then developing 'EM' layout.    

[davefrk]

I Suppose it's tme I posted something regarding what's been happening with Wharfeside.

Well, for the last two years I've been so busy, with lock down Lanarkshire Models went mental and I had very little time for anything else, slowly things settled down but still busy but I could take a Saturday off so the old Landrover would get worked on as an escape, it was eventually put back on the road last Autumn but has only done about 100 miles since, Hey Ho.

The Layout is in the clubrooms which were closed by the landlords due to the lockdown so no work could have got done anyway. Fortunately I had brought some things home after ModelRail Scotland and I had a viaduct to work on in any spare moments, a lot of filling was done in 5 or 10 minute sessions until it was ready for painting. Painting and weathering were done last November, pictures were taken  but my phone isn't talking to the computer at the moment so I'll take some with the camera this week,. Other work done in the last couple of months were a etched signal box, this was a Churchward kit which I'd started many moons ago and got disheartened by the flatness of the etches so when I looked at it again during my Christmas break I decided the corner posts needed beefing up a bit so some scrap fret was used to double up the thickness and I was much happier.

 

I also raised the box up by 3 feet as there is a lye in front of it, The stairs are still to be altered to fit. The interior is a Wills kit which has still to be finished.

Buoyed up by the signal box I decided to have a look at another etched kit, well, I took a maddy and started it on a Friday afternoon after posting a pile of orders and by Saturday 11 pm it was more or less finished with just a little cleaning up to do then a quick shot blast, fit the cast columns and out with the 'Acid 8' primer.

 

The following weekend it was painted and weathered, twice.

 

Yes I thought, the silvery colour of the paint mix was about right but I wanted the bridge to be decrepid so further weathering was done.

 

Other work done on the layout was when the clubrooms were opened up again and I was able to get the fiddleyard wiring to a stage where the boards could be assembled together and everything tested, the power source which came from the powerbox under the front of the layout was feed round the layout with a heavy 4 core cable, this provided 15v AC for the controllers and the tortoises and 24v AC suitably rectified to DC for the diode matrix for the point motors. It all worked rather well to be honest, just a couple of wires going to the wrong places. the diode matrix works great firing up to six Seep motors at a time. The two control panels were built in the evenings and fitted to the fiddleyard boards and a thorough testing was done.

So that's where we are, might have been a year further on if it wasn't for Covid.

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by davefrk

[Mark90]

Hello Dave,

 

Great to see an update on Wharfeside. I read through the whole thread a while back as I'm working on stock and plans (I don't have the room to start the actual building, yet, as I'm trying to sell my house) for a layout based on the track plan and buildings at Otley, and running some of the trains from the main Wharfedale line as well as those on the Otley branch. 

 

I may have missed where you've said this earlier in the thread, so apologies, but is your layout based on any station in particular? 

 

Mark

 

[johndon]

Good to see some progress Dave. 

[Mad McCann]

Glad to have you back on the radar, chief!

[Enterprisingwestern]

11 hours ago, Mad McCann said:

Glad to have you back on the radar, chief!

 

It's only because Fiona has had enough of him under her feet!

 

Mike.

[davefrk]

12 hours ago, Mad McCann said:

Glad to have you back on the radar, chief!

Thanks Dave, haven't been on this place much, God the adverts are annoying...

Always been around just pick up the phone.  Railway running well, was talking to JW about having a Monday running day sometime, you interested?

[davefrk]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

It's only because Fiona has had enough of him under her feet!

 

Mike.

 

Been working from home since 1999 so she should be used to it by now, besides I'm either outside in the casting shed, at the packing desk or if I have a spare ten minutes the work bench.

It is good to have some Mojo back though it's been quite a dark period.

Fiona has just said hola.

Edited February 21, 2022 by davefrk

[davefrk]

On 20/02/2022 at 08:27, Mark90 said:

Hello Dave,

 

Great to see an update on Wharfeside. I read through the whole thread a while back as I'm working on stock and plans (I don't have the room to start the actual building, yet, as I'm trying to sell my house) for a layout based on the track plan and buildings at Otley, and running some of the trains from the main Wharfedale line as well as those on the Otley branch. 

 

I may have missed where you've said this earlier in the thread, so apologies, but is your layout based on any station in particular? 

 

Mark

 

 

 Hi mark, thanks for your comments, hope your house sale/purchase goes okay, friend of mine has had a terrible time trying to start a house build but he ended up dropping the project due to some blxxdy awkward potential neighbours who didn't like the fact the farmer had sold land behind their property...

The layout is loosely based on Burley in Wharfedale but as there were three or four proposals of the line I have supposed a slightly different route up the valley slightly closer to the river where there was a hamlet called Wharfeside.

Edited May 8, 2022 by davefrk

[davefrk]

On 20/02/2022 at 10:07, johndon said:

Good to see some progress Dave. 

 

Thanks John, been watching your progress on South Pelaw Junction too, looking very good, hope to set eyes on it in the future.

[Mark90]

1 hour ago, davefrk said:

 

 Hi mark, thanks for your comments, hope your house sale/purchase goes okay, friend of mine has had a terrible time trying to start a house build but he ended up dropping the project due to some blxxdy awkward potential neighbours who didn't like the fact the farmer had sold land behind their property...

The layout is loosely based on Burley in Wharfedale but as there were three of four proposals of the line I have supposed a slightly different route up the valley slightly closer to the river where there was a hamlet called Wharfeside.

Many thanks. I am hoping for a smooth process - early days!

 

Looking at pictures of Burley-in-Wharfedale station today and back then - such a contrast. A shame indeed that the old station building has been demolished. 

[Mad McCann]

9 hours ago, davefrk said:

Thanks Dave, haven't been on this place much, God the adverts are annoying...

Always been around just pick up the phone.  Railway running well, was talking to JW about having a Monday running day sometime, you interested?

I'll take you up on that phone call then. Might have to do the same with the running day. (Consults timetables)...

[johndon]

15 hours ago, davefrk said:

 

Thanks John, been watching your progress on South Pelaw Junction too, looking very good, hope to set eyes on it in the future.

 

Cheers Dave, any time you're in the North East.

[davefrk]

On 22/02/2022 at 08:51, johndon said:

 

Cheers Dave, any time you're in the North East.

Thanks for the invite, I'm not getting about much really, haven't seen my sister in Shields for over two years, might be down sometime over the summer. The group have been invited to Wigan with the Alloa layout so might see you then.

 

Dave

[johndon]

3 hours ago, davefrk said:

Thanks for the invite, I'm not getting about much really, haven't seen my sister in Shields for over two years, might be down sometime over the summer. The group have been invited to Wigan with the Alloa layout so might see you then.

 

Dave

 

I think we may be at Wigan next year.  This year we are doing Expo EM in Bracknell in May and Manchester in December.  If you do get down over the summer give me a shout.

[davefrk]

I mentioned a viaduct which has taken a number of years to come to fruition, originally started as a demo at Modelrail Scotland four or five years ago and then placed on the layout so running could be enjoyed. Luckily before the lockdown I removed it to work on at home, the corners of the piers needed filling where the embossed stone produced gaps, a bit mind numbing so a bit at a time was filled and filed to shape then end of last year it was ready for painting and weathering. 

Track was laid early on but I've left the ballasting till the viaduct is permanently fixed down.

Plywood frame clad with 3mm plastic sheet (in one piece from an 4 x 2ft sheet) fixed with pins not glued, overlaid with 7mm embossed stone for the piers then 4mm stone for the arches, brick for the under arches, plastic sections for the details and coping stones.

 

 

Luckily I had a dimensioned Midland Railway drawing to get the proportions correct as my eye is often drawn to structures which are too heavy or improbably awkward, there was a comment from a punter at a demo who said the piers were too skinny so I showed him the drawing, 'Oh okay' was his last comment.

Dave.

Edited May 7, 2022 by davefrk

[Barry O]

Wigan should be a good show..we are there with Chapel en le Frith(Central) this year.

 

Baz

[Worsdell forever]

29 minutes ago, davefrk said:

I mentioned a viaduct which has taken a number of years to come to fruition, originally started as a demo at Modelrail Scotland four or five years ago and then placed on the layout so running could be enjoyed. Luckily the month before the lockdown I removed it to work on at home, the corners of the piers needed filling where the embossed stone produced gaps, a bit mind numbing so a bit at a time was filled and filed to shape then end of last year it was ready for painting and weathering. 

Track was laid early on but I've left the ballasting till the viaduct is permanently fixed down.

Plywood frame clad with 3mm plastic sheet (in one piece from an 4 x 2ft sheet) fixed with pins not glued, overlaid with 7mm embossed stone for the piers then 4mm stone for the arches, brick for the under arches, plastic sections for the details and coping stones.

 

 

Luckily I had a dimensioned Midland Railway drawing to get the proportions correct as my eye is often drawn to structures which are too heavy or improbably awkward, there was a comment from a punter at a demo who said the piers were too skinny so I showed him the drawing, 'Oh okay' was his last comment.

Dave.

 

Can feel the freezing drizzle blowing down the dale already...

[thetalkinlens]

6 hours ago, davefrk said:

I mentioned a viaduct which has taken a number of years to come to fruition, originally started as a demo at Modelrail Scotland four or five years ago and then placed on the layout so running could be enjoyed. Luckily the month before the lockdown I removed it to work on at home, the corners of the piers needed filling where the embossed stone produced gaps, a bit mind numbing so a bit at a time was filled and filed to shape then end of last year it was ready for painting and weathering. 

Track was laid early on but I've left the ballasting till the viaduct is permanently fixed down.

Plywood frame clad with 3mm plastic sheet (in one piece from an 4 x 2ft sheet) fixed with pins not glued, overlaid with 7mm embossed stone for the piers then 4mm stone for the arches, brick for the under arches, plastic sections for the details and coping stones.

 

 

Luckily I had a dimensioned Midland Railway drawing to get the proportions correct as my eye is often drawn to structures which are too heavy or improbably awkward, there was a comment from a punter at a demo who said the piers were too skinny so I showed him the drawing, 'Oh okay' was his last comment.

Dave.

 

My instant reaction on seeing the picture was the proportions look spot on. A lot of model viaducts are not.

[davefrk]

Thanks guys, will try to finish the signal box before any other building work although the goods shed does have four walls done for a demo at the last Model Rail Scotland. Talking of which I hear a few people were asking where I was this weekend which was nice of them. I had decided due to my health condition I would stay home this time however work has continued as I have now wound all the electro magnet uncouplers I need for the layout so time has been used constructively.

I have heard Model Rail was quite busy though it was difficult to tell due to the wider aisles to allow some distancing, our demo guys did well so good on you guys.

 

 

[Porcy Mane]

9 minutes ago, davefrk said:

I had decided due to my health condition I would stay home this time however work has continued as I have now wound all the electro magnet uncouplers

 

Interesting.. What did you use for the cores Mr F?  I've got the wire, some soft iron bolts, bits to measure (and visualise) the magnetic field along with a head full of ideas but have stalled due to a lack of insulating penny washers.

 

P

(Stay safe)

[davefrk]

Hi Paul, the cores were 6mm x 150mm nails off ebay cut to 40mm long and these nylon washers also ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133930274723?var=433379499252  available in different sizes.

The 15mm nylon washers were 5mm bore so I used a taper reamer to open them out till they were just a tight fit on the nail/cores. First I put a few turns of Tamiya 18mm masking tape on the core then fitted the washers, drilled a 0.5 hole in the bottom end washer to allow the enamel copper wire through and start winding with the core held in a cordless drill till the windings were just under the diameter of the washers then wound more tape round the coil trapping the wire tails which after burning the enamel off with a lighter and tinning will be put into a chocolate block connector. I,ve made these for a few layouts  over the years and I believe the layout Montague Field which was at Glasgow still has them in use with B&B couplings. The brackets are N/S and just stop the magnet falling out the hole. My Jackson type couplings work fine with 12volts and a small 3 amp pushbutton switch.

  

Edited May 7, 2022 by davefrk

[Axlebox]

On 27/02/2022 at 19:20, davefrk said:

Hi Paul, the cores were 6mm x 150mm nails off ebay cut to 40mm long and these nylon washers also ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133930274723?var=433379499252  available in different sizes.

The 15mm nylon washers were 5mm bore so I used a taper reamer to open them out till they were just a tight fit on the nail/cores. First I put a few turns of Tamiya 18mm masking tape on the core then fitted the washers, drilled a 0.5 hole in the bottom end washer to allow the enamel copper wire through and start winding with the core held in a cordless drill till the windings were just under the diameter of the washers then wound more tape round the coil trapping the wire tails which after burning the enamel off with a lighter and tinning will be put into a chocolate block connector. I,ve made these for a few layouts  over the years and I believe the layout Montague Field which was at Glasgow still has them in use with B&B couplings. The brackets are N/S and just stop the magnet falling out the hole. My Jackson type couplings work fine with 12volts and a small 3 amp pushbutton switch.

  

 

Nothing to stop you going into full scale production mode Uncle Poursea, thanks to Great Uncle F...put me down for a good dozen please.

[davefrk]

1 hour ago, Axlebox said:

 

Nothing to stop you going into full scale production mode Uncle Poursea, thanks to Great Uncle F...put me down for a good dozen please.

 

Oi!, less of the 'Great Uncle' if you don't mind....

 

Dave.

Edited February 28, 2022 by davefrk

[davefrk]

Having been asked if I was able to replace the missing pictures on the Wharfeside thread by a number of people I've managed to replace most but some are still hiding from me. To be honest I wasn't going to bother as I'm not on this place much these days but as people were asking I thought I better.

The layout has been getting worked on every club night with fettling and wiring improvements or fixes, 12 uncoupling electro magnets have been fitted in strategic places, switches fitted to the panel, all wired up and working well. A weird fault at one end of the fiddleyard was showing up when certain points were set with one road being dead when it's point was set against it but became live again when a different point was set a certain way, this caused some head scratching for weeks but last Thursday the problem was finally found and sorted.

 

So there we are, I'll try to post progress as it happens including the loco building which I now've got a bit more time for, 2P, B16 Black 5, 8F etc.